Kauresh D. Vachhrajani

Melatonin supplementation in rat ameliorates ovariectomy-induced oxidative stress.

ABSTRACT Objective The present study aims to determine the potential of melatonin supplementation in ameliorating tissue oxidative stress, elevated serum corticosterone and hepatic and renal dysfunction. Materials and methods Adult Wistar rats, either ovariectomized or sham-operated, served as experimental or control groups, respectively. Rats received either melatonin, estrogen, progesterone or a combination of melatonin and estrogen for a period of 15 days. Tissue oxidative stress, serum markers of hepatic and renal dysfunction and serum corticosterone level formed the parameters of assay in all groups at the end of the treatment schedule. Results Ovariectomized rats showed significant increases in levels of tissue lipid peroxidation, serum levels of glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and corticosterone and significant decrement in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant status. All parameters showed maximal reversal to control levels on supplementation with high-dose melatonin or estrogen + melatonin treatment. Conclusion Melatonin supplementation proved better than estrogen replacement therapy, with the higher dose being more effective in preventing ovariectomy-induced increases in oxidative stress and serum levels of marker parameters of hepatic and renal dysfunction and corticosterone titer. Overall, melatonin supplementation therapy qualifies as a more potent and safe alternative to estrogen replacement therapy in alleviating postmenopausal increases in oxidative stress and hepatic and renal dysfunction.

Melatonin supplementation therapy as a potent alternative to ERT in ovariectomized rats

ABSTRACT Aim To evaluate the efficacy of melatonin supplementation therapy as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy in an ovariectomized rat model and to assess diabetogenic metabolic dysregulation caused by estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal individuals. Methods Ovariectomized adult Wistar rats were treated with either estrogen/progesterone, melatonin or a combination of estrogen and melatonin. Body weight gain, feed efficiency, serum glucose, insulin, glucose tolerance and insulin response, serum and tissue lipids, tissue glycogen contents and activities of glycogen phosphorylase and glucose-6-phosphatase were analyzed in all the experimental groups. Results Ovariectomized animals showed increased body weight gain, feed efficiency, fasting insulin resistance, greater area under curve for the glucose tolerance test, higher serum and tissue lipids and reduced glycogen content and insulin sensitivity. A low dose of melatonin was more efficient than estrogen in reversing all the ovariectomy-induced changes. The combination of estrogen + melatonin was found to be best in correcting glycemic dysregulation while high doses of melatonin could effectively regulate dyslipidemia. Conclusion The present study provides strong evidence for melatonin supplementation therapy to be more potent and effective in comparison to estrogen replacement therapy due to its single-handed ability to revert all the ovariectomy-induced changes. No reported side-effect or long-term effect of melatonin, against the known effects of estrogen replacement therapy, make it more attractive as a candidate to treat postmenopausal symptoms.

Plasticity changes in adult metabolic homeostasis and tissue oxidative stress: neonatal programming by corticosterone and melatonin as deprogrammer

Objective: To evaluate the long-term plasticity changes induced by neonatal corticosterone programming on adult metabolic status and the deprogramming effect of melatonin. Methods: Male and female Wistar rats were maintained under standard conditions and when mated females delivered pups, neonates of both sexes were separated and equal number of pups was assigned to lactating mothers. Pups treated with saline, corticosterone or a combination of corticosterone and melatonin from PND 2 to PND 14, were maintained until 120 days of age. Various serum and tissue parameters pertaining to glycaemic regulation, dyslipidemia, hepatic and renal distress and oxidative stress were analyzed in adult rats. Results: Neonatal corticosterone exposure induced dyslipidemia, increased fed and fasting glucose levels, insulin resistance, lipid peroxidation, serum levels of insulin, corticosterone and hepatic and renal dysfunction markers and decreased the levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, relatively more in males. Melatonin proved as an effective deprogrammer of corticosterone induced plasticity changes. Conclusions: Neonatal corticosterone exposure induces long lasting effects on adult physiology and metabolism. Concurrent treatment with melatonin effectively deprograms the changes.

A new species of the genus Diogenes Dana, 1851 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) from Gujarat, northwestern India

A new species of diogenid hermit crab, Diogenes chhapgari n. sp., is described on the basis of material collected during the crustacean faunal survey along the coastal areas of the Gujarat State, northwestern India. The new species is referred to the D. edwardsii (De Haan, 1849) species group and appears closest to D. singaporensis Rahayu, 2015. However, D. chhapgari n. sp. is distinguished from this species by the armature on the fourth segment of the antennal peduncle and carpus of the left cheliped.

First record of Cryptopodia angulata H. Milne Edwards and Lucas, 1841 from Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India (Decapoda: Brachyura: Parthenopidae)

Cryptopodia angulata is reported for the first time from Saurashtra coast of Gujarat state. One adult female was found in trawl catch near Sutrapada village of Saurashtra coast on January, 2012. Although the species is not common in Indian waters, this species has been reported from the south east coast of India. This is the first report from Saurashtra coast.

Neonatal corticosterone programs for thrifty phenotype adult diabetic manifestations and oxidative stress: countering effect of melatonin as a deprogrammer

Objective: The present study assesses the thrifty phenotype response of neonatal corticosterone programming to a diabetogenic challenge in adult rats and the role of melatonin as a deprogrammer. Methods: Neonates of both sexes, born of healthy male and female rats maintained under standard conditions of temperature and light, were separated and, equal number of pups was assigned to lactating mothers. Pups treated with either saline or corticosterone or, a combination of corticosterone and melatonin from postnatal day (PND) 2 to PND 14 and, at 120 days of age, six animals from each treatment group were rendered diabetic by alloxanization. Various serum and tissue parameters pertaining to glycaemic regulation, dyslipidemia, hepatic and renal distress and oxidative stress were analysed in adult rats of all groups. Results: The results indicate compromised feed efficiency, hyperglycaemia, hypoinsulinemia, decreased glycogen content, elevated serum and tissue lipids and serum markers of hepatic and renal stress, together with increased lipid peroxidation, and decreased levels of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in corticosterone programmed diabetic animals than in the non-programmed diabetic rats. However, treatment with melatonin simultaneously prevented to a significant extent the alterations in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. Conclusions: Melatonin is a potent deprogrammer of neonatal corticosterone programming effects and the adult thrifty phenotype alteration to a diabetogenic challenge.

A new species of Lyphira Galil, 2009 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Leucosiidae) from Gujarat, India

A new species of crab belonging to the genus Lyphira Galil, 2009 of the family Leucosiidae Samouelle, 1819, is described from Gujarat state, India. Lyphira georgei n. sp. is distinguished from the related species L. perplexa Galil, 2009, in the shape of main shaft and apical lobe of male first gonopod, shape and size of the male telson as well as size and shape of somite 2 of male abdomen. The details of morphological differences are presented in the report. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8DC6CACE-4BF9-45F4-B151-CFB2BAF4D82B

Redescription of Arcotheres placunae (Hornell & Southwell, 1909) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) from India and Pakistan

The identity of Arcotheres placunae (Hornell Southwell, 1909) (Pinnotheridae), a pea crab associated with the window pane shell, Placuna placenta, has been confused as the types are lost and the original figures are inaccurate and do not match the description given of the species. In the present study, fresh specimens of the species were collected from the type locality (Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India), and the species is here redescribed and refigured, and its affinities with similar species is discussed. To stabilize the taxonomy of A. placunae, a neotype is chosen from amongst the fresh material.

An annotated checklist of the marine brachyuran crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) of India

An annotated checklist of the marine brachyuran crabs occurring in India is compiled from published literature and augmented by collections between 2005 and 2015. A total of 910 species belonging to 361 genera and 62 families are herein listed from Indian waters. Specimens representing 130 species were obtained from Gujarat state during 2005 and 2015, of which 23 are new records to Gujarat state and two species are reported for the first time from the west coast of India. The highest number of species were recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar islands (588 species) while the smallest number were from Goa and Karnataka state (82 species). The records indicate that the east coast of India, with 803 species, is more diverse than the west coast, which has 446 species.

A new pea crab species of the genus Arcotheres Manning, 1993 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) from India

A new species of pinnotherid crab, Arcotheres shahi n. sp., is described on the basis of specimens collected during a crustacean survey along the coastal areas of Pamban fishing harbor in the Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu state, east coast of India. The new species resembles A. pernicola (Bürger, 1895), A. winckworthi (Gordon, 1936) and A. rayi Ahyong Ng, 2007, in having the dactyli of the longer fourth pereopod longer than that of fifth pereopod. Arcotheres shahi n. sp. differs from these three known species in the shape of female carapace, frontal region and chela, setal pattern on the dactyli of the fourth and fifth pereopods and relative length of the ambulatory pereiopods.